Relationship game

ABSTRACT

A board game system for promoting positive and healthy relationship skills includes providing a game apparatus, rolling a die, moving the players game piece, drawing a card based upon the space landed upon, answering the question listed on the card, checking the answer in the answer guide, and subsequently moving the game piece depending upon the instructions of the answer guide. The game is won by the player who reaches the finish line first. The game apparatus may include a game board having a path for advancing the player&#39;s game pieces, a plurality of game spaces along the path, a die, game pieces of different colors, and a plurality of cards having questions designed to stimulate conversation regarding relationships.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to board games and moreparticularly to a board game system that promotes positive and healthyrelationship skills through interactive play while avoiding traps aimedat reducing the player's self-esteem.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] A wide variety of board games are known in the prior art,providing various forms of entertainment to players. Prior art games mayincorporate any one or all of the following aspects: strategy, chance,artistic skill, knowledge, or memory to name a few. However, as far asit is known, none of the prior art games are specifically directed toand capable of promoting positive and healthy relationship skills andhigh self esteem in the players.

[0003] The present board game system described herein for promotingpositive and healthy relationship skills thus departs from theconventional concepts and designs of the games known and recognized inthe gaming prior art by incorporating interactive group discussion withfictional fact patterns and multiple-choice questions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The present invention provides a new board game, and a method ofplaying the game, which has a primary purpose of promoting positive andhealthy relationship skills through interactive play, through thediscussion of fictional and real life situations. Another aspect of theinvention is to promote relationships, and prevent the loss ofself-esteem, through open discussion among the players. The inventionprovides an environment designed to promote free flowing, opendiscussion regarding relationships and relationship skills.

[0005] To attain this, the invention has both method and apparatusaspects. The method aspects of the invention include providing a gameapparatus that includes a method of playing a relationship game for aplurality of players, comprising: generating a random whole number for aplayer, moving a game piece of the player along path a number of spacescorresponding to the random number, the spaces having an indiciaselected from a first indicia, a second indicia, a third indicia, and afourth indicia, drawing a card from a set corresponding to the indiciaof the space, performing the task as indicated on the game card, usingan answer guide to determine if the player has performed the taskindicated on the game card correctly and moving the player's game piecealong the path as indicated within the answer guide based upon theplayer's answer, and winning the game by being the first player to reachthe finishing space of the game spaces. In one embodiment of the game,the method of game play further includes cards provided comprising: afirst subset of cards having multiple choice questions, a second subsetof cards having questions designed to stimulate group discussion, and athird subset of cards further comprising cards selected from the groupof multiple choice cards and cards having worded situations andinstructions.

[0006] The apparatus aspect of the invention includes a game apparatuscomprising: a game container, a game board having a path for advancing agame piece of a player along, the path comprising a plurality of gamespaces for advancing the game piece of a player as the player movesalong the game path. A first portion of the game spaces are marked witha first indicia, a second portion of the game spaces are marked with asecond indicia, a third portion of the game spaces are marked with athird indicia, and a fourth portion of the game spaces are marked with afourth indicia. The apparatus further includes game pieces of eachindividual player, wherein each game piece is different, e.g. differentcolor, a plurality of sets of game cards including: a first set of theplurality of cards being associated with the game space marked with thefirst indicia, the first card set comprising multiple choice questionsbased upon situations arising in a relationship, a second set of theplurality of cards being associated with the game space marked with thesecond indicia, the second card set comprising personal questionsdirected to the player's personal life to initiate group discussion, athird set of the plurality of cards being associated with the game spacemarked with the third indicia, the third card set comprising cardsselected from subsets having multiple choice questions based uponsituations arising in a relationship and having a worded situation andinstructions to move the player's game piece, a plurality of answerguides corresponding to the multiple choice cards, and a method forgenerating random numbers. The game apparatus may further include aportion of the game spaces are located substantially within theperimeter of the game board. The game apparatus may further comprise atime keeping device. At least one of the plurality of spaces is a startspace. The game apparatus further includes game playing instructions. Inone embodiment, the game board is designed to form a compact arrangementwherein the components of the game fit within the game board.

[0007] There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, some of the moreimportant features of the invention.

[0008] In this respect, it is understood that the invention is notlimited in its application to the details of construction and to thearrangements of the components set forth in the following description orillustrated drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments andmethods of practice. Also, the phraseology and terminology used hereinare for the purpose of description and should therefore not be regardedas limiting in any way. As such, those skilled in the art will readilyappreciate that the present invention, upon which this disclosure isbased, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of otherstructures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes ofthe present invention. It should be recognized that the above list ofobjects, features, and advantages is in no way comprehensive, and thatothers will be appreciated by those skilled in the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009]FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of one embodiment of the gameboard of the new game system for promoting positive and healthyrelationship skills.

[0010]FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a typical deck of the playing cards.

[0011]FIG. 3 is a schematic flow diagram of the method aspects of thepresent invention.

[0012]FIG. 4 is a view of an example of the multiple-choice questions.

[0013]FIG. 5 is a view of an example of the trouble multiple-choicequestions.

[0014]FIG. 6 is a view of an example of the wild cards.

[0015]FIG. 7 is a view of an example of one of the penalty area cards.

[0016]FIG. 8 is a view of an example of the answer guide to themultiple-choice questions.

[0017]FIG. 9 is a view of an example of the answer guide to the troublemultiple-choice questions.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] Referring now to the drawings, the apparatus of the presentinvention is illustrated and generally indicated at 100 in FIG. 1. Aswill hereinafter be more fully described, the present game apparatus 100is utilized in an illustrated board game designed to promote positiveand healthy relationship skills through interactive play and to promotehigh self esteem through interactive discussions among the players. Bypresenting situations arising in a relationship from which the playermust make selections, the present game apparatus may also be utilized toeducate and better enable players to interact socially and avoidpitfalls and similar situations in the future.

[0019] The present invention can be applied to a wide variety ofrelationships, without regard to gender, race, age, or sexualorientation. The relationships may be based upon human interaction in avariety of settings, including but not limited to, personal, social,work, and cultural settings. Thus, it is understood that the board gameof the present invention may be adapted to focus on many differentrelationships, including but not limited to those between men and womenfrom both the male and female perspective, between men and other men,and women and other women in personal, social and/or work settings,between adolescents as they learn to interact, or between members ofdifferent cultural backgrounds as they are educated regarding othercultural groups.

[0020] As is illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 9, one aspect of theinvention comprises a game apparatus for promoting positive and healthyrelationship skills through interactive play and another aspect of theinvention comprises a method of playing the game apparatus in a mannerpromoting positive and healthy relationship skills.

[0021] The game apparatus 100 may include a game board, and on the topsurface of the game board is marked a path 110 along which the gamepiece (not shown) of each individual player is moved. The path 110 mayhave a portion positioned about the perimeter of the game board and itmay have a portion positioned substantially within the perimeter of thegame board. The path may comprise a plurality of spaces 112 foradvancing the game piece of a player as the player moves upon the gamepath 110. It is understood that the example game board shown in FIG. 1is merely an example of one embodiment of the present invention. Thenumber of actual spaces and the specific location of each of the spaceson the individual playing surface is not limited to the placement shownin FIG. 1.

[0022] In one embodiment of the invention, a substantial portion of theplurality of spaces 112 have indicia marked thereon. The significance ofthe indicia will be discussed in greater detail below in the context ofdiscussing the manner of playing the game. One of the plurality ofspaces 112 comprises a start space 114, which may have “START” or asimilar indicia marked thereon. The start space 114 may have adirectional arrow (not shown) marked thereon for indicating to theplayers a direction of movement of the game pieces by the players asthey are advancing their game pieces along game path 110. In addition,the game path may comprise a finishing point 124.

[0023] In one embodiment of the invention, the plurality of spaces 112along the game path 110 may be associated any one of a different numberof tasks, and may have indicia associating each space with a differenttype of task. A first portion of the plurality of spaces may beassociated with the first card deck 116. A second portion of theplurality of spaces may be associated with the second card deck 118. Athird portion of the plurality of spaces 122 may be associated with theplayer having to move their game piece to the penalty area 126. A fourthportion of the plurality of spaces 120 may be associated with thepenalty area 126. Preferably, the different spaces among the pluralityof spaces are randomly placed throughout the game path. The placement ofthe spaces in FIG. 1 is merely demonstrative of one possible placementof the individual spaces on the playing surface.

[0024] Each of the plurality of spaces may be associated with a specifictheme or task for the player to undertake. For example, the spacesassociated with the first card deck may require the player to complete amultiple-choice question based upon a fictional relationship situation.The spaces associated with the second card deck may require the playerto complete a more difficult multiple-choice question based upon afictional relationship situation. The spaces associated with the thirdcard deck may require the player to confess or relate a personalexperience as described on the card.

[0025] Additionally, a plurality of areas (not shown) may be positionedalong the game board and the game path 110. In one embodiment of theinvention, these areas do not count as spaces along the game path 110and the player advancing along the game path does not place their gamepiece in these non-playing areas. These areas may comprise a countrysidescene, which may further comprise barns, trees, hills, meadows, farmsand other farmyard animals. The board may also comprise a variety ofillustrations of different goats.

[0026] The game board may also include a designated area where the cardsare to be placed. The area may be located about the perimeter of thegame-playing surface, or it may be located substantially within theperimeter of the game-playing surface. The area designated for the cardspreferably is marked with an indicia indicating which set of cards is tobe placed in that designated spot.

[0027] The playing board may be of any shape or size, generally allowingfor a group of people, preferably between 2 and 6 adults, to gatheraround. The board may be constructed of a material allowing it to befolded in half for storage purposes. Preferably, the game board isconstructed of a heavy fabric or material upon which the game-playingsurface has been applied by silkscreen or other known method. Thematerial playing surface preferably comprises a means for folding theplaying surface and retaining the playing pieces. The board may comprisea storage means for the parts of the game, including the cards, playerpieces, dice and time keeping device. Optionally, the board may berolled up and stored in a clear plastic cylinder allowing a portion ofthe playing surface to be seen through the storage device for displaypurposes.

[0028] In addition to the game board, the game apparatus may alsoinclude individual playing pieces for each player. The playing piecesare used to indicate the player's position along the game path. The gamepieces may each be a different color to allow players to identify theirindividual pieces. The game pieces may optionally be formed in the shapeof a goat, or may incorporate a visual indicia of a goat.

[0029] The game apparatus may also include a means for generating randomnumbers, including one or more die or a numbered spinner for generatingrandom numbers indicating to players the number of spaces to advancealong the game path. If used, the die may have four, six or eight sides.

[0030] The game apparatus may also include a timing apparatus. Thetiming apparatus may be an hourglass containing sand designed to operatefor a specific amount of time, it may be battery operated, or it may beoperated through a winding mechanism. The timing apparatus may bedesigned to operate for a specified amount of time, preferably for3-minute intervals of time.

[0031] The game apparatus may also include a plurality of sets of cards,each individual card having visual indicia on the top of the cardcorresponding to the space on the game board associated with the playingcard (Shown generally in FIG. 2, wherein the card may be identified witheither a textual or pictorial indicia). Each of the plurality of sets ofcards may include a first subset of basic cards, which comprises aseries of cards having fictional relationship situations requiring theplayer to make a decision (examples of the questions shown in FIG. 4), asecond subset of trouble cards, which comprises a series of cards havingdifficult fictional relationship situations requiring a decision(examples of the questions shown in FIG. 5) or a wild card (examples ofthe questions shown in FIG. 6), and a third subset of discussion cards,which comprises a series of cards requiring players to confess or relatea personal experience (examples shown in FIG. 7). The game apparatus mayalso include a card holding device (not shown) designed to hold each ofthe plurality of sets of cards, preferably constructed out of plastic.

[0032] The game apparatus may also include a plurality of answer guidesproviding answers to the fictional relationship situations found in theplurality of sets of cards. FIG. 8 shows the answers to the firstquestion shown in FIG. 4 and is typical for the answer guide. FIG. 9shows the answer to the first question shown in FIG. 5 and is typicalfor the answer guide. The answer guides may include commentary regardingthe different answer choices, as well as instructions for the playersdepending on the answer selected by the player. The instructions foundin the answer guides may include instructions regarding the movement ofthe player's game piece at the end of the players turn.

[0033] The method aspect of the invention for playing the game may bepracticed using one or more elements of the game apparatus describedabove, and is generally shown in FIG. 3. In the practice of the game,all players generate a random number, either by rolling one or more dice(with each player rolling the same number of dice), or spinning anumbered spinner. The player with the highest roll initiates the game.Each player initiates his or her turn by generating a random number todetermine the number of spaces to advance along the game path. Theplayer may move his or her game piece along the game path a number ofspaces corresponding to the value generated by the spinner or dice,beginning at START 114. The player lands his or her game piece on one ofthe plurality of spaces.

[0034] The player may select one card from the particular subset of theplurality of cards corresponding to the indicia that is marked on thespace upon which the player's game piece has landed, or by moving theplayer's game piece to the appropriate space if the indicia indicatesthat the piece should be moved. The player will then read the cardselected and perform the task indicated by the card.

[0035] During his or her turn, the player's game piece may land on oneof four different spaces; a first space associated with drawing a basicmultiple choice relationship card, a second space associated withdrawing a more difficult multiple choice relationship card, a thirdspace requiring the player to go to the penalty area, and a fourth spacenot associated with any particular task (a free space).

[0036] If the player's game piece lands on the first space, the playerwill select the top card of the first card deck, one of the subsets ofthe plurality of cards. Typically, the first card deck presents theplayer with a fictional relationship fact pattern from which the playermust select the most appropriate answer. The player will read thequestion aloud, select one of three choices given on the card, andreturn the card to the bottom of the deck. One of the other players,preferably the person seated to player's right, will look up the answerin the corresponding answer guide. The answer guide will instruct theplayer whether to move their game piece including whether to move aheada number of spaces, move backward a number of spaces, or to remain inthe current position.

[0037] If the player's game piece lands on the second space, the playerwill select the top card of the second card deck, one of the subsets ofthe plurality of cards. Typically, the second card deck presents theplayer with a more troublesome fictional relationship fact pattern,typically more difficult than those presented in the first card deck,from which the player must select the most appropriate answer. Theplayer will read the question aloud, select one of three choices givenon the card, and return the card to the bottom of the deck. One of theother players, preferably the person seated to player's right, will lookup the answer in the corresponding answer guide. The answer guide willinstruct the player of the consequences of the player's answer choice,whether the player moves his or her game piece forward or backward, orwhether the player's game piece has been sent to the penalty area.

[0038] If the player's game piece lands on the space associated with thepenalty area, the player will move his or her game piece directly to thepenalty area of the corresponding color. On the next turn, the playerwill select the top card from the third card deck, associated with thepenalty area. A more detailed description of the penalty area isdescribed below.

[0039] If the player's game piece ends up in the penalty area, eitherfrom being sent there when landing on the space associated with thepenalty area, or as a result of the answer selected from the second carddeck, or from the wild card, -the player may not roll the dice on thesubsequent turn. Instead, the player must select the top card from thepenalty card deck, and read the instructions, which generally consist ofdiscussions and/or confessions regarding relationships. The player thenfollows the instructions on the card. The other players may participate,either by further questioning the player, or adding their own answers tothe question. The discussion should take approximately 3 minutes, andthe players may optionally use a time apparatus to keep the game flowingsmoothly. The following turn, the player exiting the penalty area,places their game piece in the free space along the game path, and isallowed to roll the die or dice, or spin the spinner, and move thecorresponding number of spaces.

[0040] If a player's game piece lands on an occupied space, the gamepiece of the player previously occupying the space is moved to thenearest penalty area and the player proceeds to follow the instructionsas provided above. If dice are being used to generate the number ofspaces to move, and two dice are being rolled, if the same number isrolled on each dice on an individual roll, that player is grantedanother turn, provided the player did not end up in the penalty area asa result of the initial roll of the dice.

[0041] During his or her turn, the player will draw from one of thesubsets of the plurality of cards. The subsets of cards may comprise afirst card deck, a second card deck and a third, or penalty area, carddeck. The first card deck provides fictional relationship situationsfrom which the player's must select the most appropriate answer.Subsequent movement of the player's game piece is dependent upon theplayer's answer to the question presented on the card. The second carddeck consist of either a fictional relationship situation from which theplayer must select the most appropriate answer, or a wild card, havinginstructions to be followed regarding the movement of the player's gamepiece. The third, or penalty area, card deck cards consist of a task,generally describing a personal relationship situation. These cards aredesigned to lead to group discussion. Each of the subsets of cardspreferably consists of at least 20 cards. The decks may be supplementedwith new cards as the players become familiar with the cards thatoriginally arrive with the game apparatus.

[0042] The player finishing the game by reaching the finishing pointfirst is considered the winner. However in one embodiment of the gamethe game continues even after the first player has finished. The objectof the game continuing is for the players to continue to have opendiscussion regarding the subjects covered in the game.

[0043] With respect to the above description, it is to be realized thatthe optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, toinclude variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and mannerof operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obviousto one skilled in the art. All equivalent relationships to thoseillustrated in the drawings and described in the specification areintended to be encompassed by the present invention. The presentinvention is not intended to be limited to the exact construction andoperation as described above and all suitable modifications andequivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of thisinvention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A game apparatus comprising: a game container; agame board having a path for advancing a game piece of a player along,the path comprising a plurality of game spaces for advancing the gamepiece of a player as the player moves along the game path; wherein afirst portion of the game spaces are marked with a first indicium, asecond portion of the game spaces are marked with a second indicium, athird portion of the game spaces are marked with a third indicium, and afourth portion of the game spaces are marked with a fourth indicia; gamepieces of each individual player, wherein each game piece is a differentcolor; a plurality of sets of game cards including: a first set of cardsassociated with the game space marked with the first indicia, the firstcard set comprising multiple choice questions based upon situationsarising in a relationship; a second set of cards associated with thegame space marked with the second indicia, the second card setcomprising personal questions directed to the player's personal life toinitiate group discussion; a third set of cards associated with the gamespace marked with the third indicia, the third card set comprising cardsselected from subsets having multiple choice questions based uponsituations arising in a relationship and having a worded situation andinstructions to move the player's game piece; a plurality of answerguides corresponding to the multiple choice cards; and a method forgenerating random numbers.
 2. The game apparatus of claim 1, wherein aportion of the game spaces are located substantially within theperimeter of the game board.
 3. The game apparatus of claim 1, furthercomprising a time keeping device.
 4. The game apparatus of claim 1,wherein one of the plurality of spaces comprises a start space.
 5. Thegame apparatus of claim 1, further comprising game playing instructions.6. The game apparatus of claim 1, wherein the game board is designed toform a compact arrangement wherein the components of the game fit withinthe game board.
 7. The method of playing a relationship game for aplurality of players, comprising: generating a random whole number for aplayer; moving a game piece of the player along path a number of spacescorresponding to the random number; the spaces having an indiciaselected from a first indicia, a second indicia, a third indicia, and afourth indicia; drawing a card from a set corresponding to the indiciaof the space; performing the task as indicated on the game card; usingan answer guide to determine if the player has performed the taskindicated on the game card correctly and moving the player's game piecealong the path as indicated within the answer guide based upon theplayer's answer; winning the game by being the first player to reach thefinishing space of the game spaces.
 8. The method of game play of claim7 wherein the cards provided further comprise: a first subset of cardshaving multiple choice questions; a second subset of cards havingquestions designed to stimulate group discussion; and a third subset ofcards further comprising cards selected from the group of multiplechoice cards and cards having worded situations and instructions.